1. Square du Vert-Galant — Paris, France

Tucked beneath Pont Neuf, this little garden is easy to miss — and that’s the beauty of it. I sat under the willow trees, watching the Seine move slowly past, with no plans, no noise, and no reason to leave. It felt like Paris exhaled.
📍 Île de la Cité, Paris
🕰️ Best for: solo afternoons + complete stillness or couples retreat

2. The Gardens of Versailles

Versailles is known for opulence, but step beyond the palace and it becomes something else: soft light, endless paths, and moments that feel personal despite the grandeur. I spent hours getting lost here — and somehow felt grounded the whole time.
📍 Château de Versailles
🕰️ Best for: long walks, journal pages, feeling small in the best way

3. Grand Café Garibaldi — Lake Como, Italy

A coffee in Menaggio doesn’t sound like much — until you sit here. The lake just beyond the piazza, the light bouncing off the cobblestones, the sound of real life unfolding slowly. I came for espresso. I stayed for hours.
📍 Menaggio, Lake Como
🕰️ Best for: late morning coffees + people-watching + romance

4. Sarakiniko Beach — Milos, Greece

It doesn’t look like Earth. Chalky white stone, turquoise water, and a stillness that silences you in the best way. I didn’t even swim. I just wandered, sat, and let it take over.
📍 Milos, Greece
🕰️ Best for: golden hour + walking without a plan = best times

5. Rue Saint-Antoine — Paris, France

Le Marais always charms, but Rue Saint-Antoine is where it slows down. Floral shops, soft pastries, tiny cafés that don’t beg to be photographed. I walked this street at golden hour and felt like I lived there — just for a moment.
📍 Paris 4e
🕰️ Best for: wandering with no agenda - why not

Check out my blog about travel to best parts of SPAIN here